The Big Picture

Former Utah Commissioner of Public Safety Jess Anderson discusses the growing challenges in retail crime and law enforcement's technological gap.

By the Numbers

• Shoplifting has surged 94% since 2019
• 14% increase from 2024 to 2025 alone

Key Challenges

• Government agencies lag 3-5 steps behind criminal elements and private sector
• Legal restrictions on using advanced technology like facial recognition and AI
• Limited ability to share data between private sector and law enforcement
• Increasing violence in retail theft incidents

Solutions Proposed

• Better communication between law enforcement agencies
• Improved collaboration between private sector and law enforcement
• Updates to legislation allowing better use of modern technology
• Environmental design improvements in retail stores

Bottom Line

Success requires aggressive enforcement, better inter-agency communication, and modernized approaches to using private sector technology in law enforcement.

Retail's Most Wanted is presented by LVT and the Attorney General Alliance.